Plan B
by Spazzle
Summary: When The Lorax suddenly finds his pleas for Once-ler to stop cutting down the trees unheard, he decides he needs a plan B. Something or someone that could sway Once-ler's mind. So who does he turn to? Why Norma of course! Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

"I need to talk to you." An almost 21 year old Once-ler stood with his hands behind his back sheepishly. He stared down at Norma who stared back up at him, curiosity piqued.

"Out with it then!" she said with a smile. She gestured for him to sit with her at the picnic table, her legs crossed. Once-ler gulped slightly looking at her in her beauty. They'd been best friends for years and it had only recently occurred to him that he was completely head over heels for her.

Despite their height differences, he often felt himself looking up to her. He often admired her courage to speak her mind and never regret her decisions, no matter how bad they might have been.

Once-ler had been debating with himself for weeks on whether or not he should tell her about his feelings. He finally decided it had to be done. Especially considering the fact he was leaving in a couple of weeks to start his search for the perfect material for the thneed. He wanted to ask her to come with him.

He mumbled something to himself leaving Norma feeling very impatient. "You gonna just stand there muttering nonsense or are you gonna spit it out already?" She finally asked, an edge of sarcasm lacing her voice.

"I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU." Once-ler blurted out before promptly covering his mouth with his hands. His eyes widened an incredible amount and he looks anywhere but at Norma.

Norma is stunned silent, her jaw hanging open. Finally, she seems to be able to find her words and she speaks. "Y-you're in l-love with me?" Her voice quivers as is she's going to cry. Once-ler just nods, a nervous grin plastered across his face.

He hopes with everything he's got that he's not rejected. He opens his mouth a few times, obviously searching for the right words to continue with. "And I also uh wanted you to, well… come with me?" He said quietly. It just barely registered in Norma's ears, who had up until then remained silent

"Go with you where?" She questioned, a bright blush covering her cheeks. Once-ler had conveniently withheld the news of his leaving.

"I'm kinda leaving in two weeks." His left hand scratched the back of his neck in a nervous habit. "To uh, well, for my thneed."

Norma's eyes glimmered with tears that threatened to spill. "You're leaving? B-but…" He embraced her in a warm hug full of affection.

"I want you to come with me." He repeated pulling away slightly from Norma. "We could travel the world together, just the two of us! And Melvin of course…" He looked down hopefully at her, his eyes pleading for her to say yes.

"I… can't." For the first time in their entire friendship, Once-ler saw Norma cry. Puddles of tears slid down her rosy cheeks and the tip of her nose was bright ruby.

For what seemed like hours, they just stared at the ground, the weight of the situation crushing them beneath it. In reality, it was only ten minutes before Once-ler finally spoke again, this time his voice dripping of complete and utter heartbreak. "Why?" One word spoken and yet his question conveyed so many more questions than he could bring himself to ask. _Do you not love me the way I love you? Is there someone else? Am I not good enough?_

Norma took a deep, staggering breath and replied to him, tears still pooling in the corners of her eyes. "Once-ler, it's _your _dream to invent the thneed. I can't ask you to stay here but I can't go with you. My place is here. But you… your place is somewhere out of town, somewhere beyond the limits your mother sets for you."

Her voice grew stronger and stronger as she continued with her speech, Once-ler silent in surprise at her words. "I can't leave. There's still so much I want to do here. Oh, Once-ler! I bought the old flower shop! And as much as I care about you, the thneed is your dream. Not mine…" She let her eyes wander up to meet Once-ler's to see him frowning.

He didn't know what to say. He supposed she had a point but he didn't want to admit it. But what baffled him most was that she hadn't said a word about his confession. Almost as if reading his thoughts, she spoke again. "Once-ler, I want you to know that I _do _have feelings for you. But… I don't know how deeply they go. And now's just not the right time. I'm sorry." Droplets running down her cheeks once again, she walked away, leaving Once-ler standing by the picnic table, wide eyed and conflicted.

On one hand, she had feelings for him but on the other, he was leaving and she _wasn't _coming with him. He had no idea whether to be ecstatic or completely heartbroken. In the end, he went with the latter.

…

He hadn't seen ever since their… falling out. He wasn't sure exactly what they were. Were they still friends? Or were they not? Those thoughts plagued him. I'd break his heart even further if she decided they weren't friends anymore. He would just… _snap. _

It was surprising when she came by his house the evening before he was leaving. He wasn't sure if she'd say goodbye. But there she was at his door, the porch light illuminating her figure. He thought she looked like an angel. He quickly offered for her to come inside but she declined, saying she would only be a moment.

"I wanted to say goodbye before you left. I want you to know that even when you're a million miles away making your business a success, I'll always be your number one supporter. Always." He looked at her with a sad smile on his face thinking just how she looked shyer than he'd ever seen her before.

Her curls splayed everywhere and she wore a yellow sundress. Her glasses slid down her nose and she gently pushed them back and reached into her pocket, pulling out a photo. Wordlessly, she thrust it into his hands. In shock, he just stared at his hands before looking back at her. She met his eyes with a straight face.

Before he knew it, his arm was being tugged down. He leaned down to hear what she had to say, still towering over her. She moved her hand to the back of his neck and tugged further. He looked into her eyes, glimmering and glassy.

She gave him a gentle smile before tugging him down once more and capturing his lips with her own. She kissed him gently, weaving her fingers through his dark hair as he coiled his long arms around her waist slowly, almost unsure of himself.

After a moment, she unwrapped her arms from around his neck and pulled away a small smile gracing her soft features. "Never forget me. Not when you're the richest man earth or when girls start throwing themselves at you. I'm sure they will… but _always_ remember me. Keep that photo." She pointed to the photo which Once-ler had still somehow clutched in his hand while kissing Norma.

"Maybe… maybe someday we'll cross paths again. But we have to never forget each other. _Never." _She finally said before walking away from him, hopefully not for the last time.

The very next day, Once-ler left his small town, suddenly as optimistic as always. As his wagon pulled away from the house, the picture was safely under his vest, close to his heart.

A/N: This is a new fandom to me. I'm quite the avid Norma-ler fan but this is a different take on their romance than most have taken. I hope you all enjoy and don't worry; Norma won't be gone too long from the story. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

A month passed between the time Once-ler left and the time he arrived in Truffula Valley. What a beauty the place was he thought, admiring the colorful creatures and the even more colorful treetops. Trees like this didn't grow back home…

Thinking of home reminded him of Norma. For a moment, he was saddened but he promised himself he would be success, not only for himself but for Norma too. And so he continued over and over again to bigger his company, a small part of him hoping that someday Norma would find him.

Weeks passed in the valley as Once-ler tried time after time to sell his thneed while also dealing with the Lorax. Over the weeks, he formed some sort of weird friendship with the Lorax where he and the forest animals would invade his cottage at night and make themselves comfortable.

Every night, he would look at the photo Norma had given him before heading off to sleep, always keeping it close at hand to protect it from the mischievous animals that inhabited his home.

He really hoped that Norma was thinking about him just as much as he was thinking of her.

…

Norma waved goodbye to the last customers as they left, arms full of tulips and petunias and various other types of flowers. She locked the front door from the inside before going to the back of the flower shop and going up a flight of stairs to her small apartment.

The three room apartment was decorated with flower pots all scattered throughout. A variety of different flowers were lovingly placed in spots near windows as to get as much sunlight as possible. Norma loved flowers and plants and just natural over all. Turning on a light switch, Norma settled onto her chair to read for a while before heading off to bed.

As she read, her mind flickered to Once-ler who she hadn't seen in almost two months. She wondered if he'd found what he was looking for. She wondered if he'd already become a huge success like she knew he would be. She'd always believed in his dreams just liked he believed in hers. Owning a flower shop had been Norma's dream since she was a little girl and she just hoped that Once-ler could achieve his dream as well.

Her thoughts running in circles, she finally started to think about the picture she had given Once-ler. It was a simple picture, one that had been taken only about a month before Once-ler's startling confession. It was her 21st birthday party. She really didn't need one but her mother insisted and she went along with it to please her mother and father who she loved very dearly.

Norma and Once-ler stood side by side, Norma's arms positioned behind her back and Once-ler standing to her left, his mouth hanging slightly open. A slight blush could be seen upon his face. He looked down towards her as she smiled up at him, obviously not noticing the pink tinting his cheeks.

…

It was at that party that Once-ler had discovered his feelings for Norma. Seeing her dressed up isn't what brought him to the realization, no. It was the smile that lit up her eyes when he walked in. She obviously hadn't had such a good time until he arrived. He could swear that her eyes sparkled.

No dress could compare to her inner beauty. Not even the gorgeous blue dress adorned with a purple top and swirls gracing the skirt. It was all her and Once-ler at that point realized, _it always has been. _

A reminiscent sigh escaped Once-ler's mouth as he affectionately stared at the picture. He tucked it beneath his mattress and slowly drifted off to sleep, his dreams filled with fame, thneeds, and Norma.

…

Singing with all his gusto, Once-ler once again tried at selling his thneed to the people of Greenville. However, he was very shortly struck in the face with a tomato. And so he tossed his thneed towards a trash can, resigned to failure. He didn't notice it landing upon a teenage girl's head, somehow making all of her nerdish attributes disappearing. And suddenly, the girl was showered with compliments.

The townspeople assembled a happy mob and prepared to go off singing.

…

When Once-ler first heard them coming, he was frightened beyond belief. He clung to The Lorax like an old teddy bear and prayed they wouldn't hurt him. But no, they didn't hurt them. They sang of his thneed and all the wonderful things it could do. He was a success. For the first time in his life, Once-ler was a success.

The Lorax saw this with distaste, all the while hoping Once-ler wouldn't break his promise. His eyes portrayed sadness as if he could already see his trees chopped down before his eyes. But he would trust Once-ler. He'd put his faith into him and hope that Once-ler would stay true to his word.

Money was shoved into Once-ler's face in every direction and the smile upon his face was that of a small child on Christmas morning. He clutched at dollar bills, yipping in joy. His eyes gleamed with something The Lorax could only define with one word: Greed.

...

A/N: A bit of a filler chapter today... BUT! I do happen to have plans for the story. Plus, I'm debating over myself on whether I should write a story with another idea I got. It would be set in a different timeline than this as in the things that'll happen in this story won't happen in the other one. Two seperate timelines. Should I?


	3. Chapter 3

The day Once-ler's family arrived seemed to foreshadow the beginning of the end. Only after a week since their arrival, Once-ler had been persuaded to start chopping down the trees, all the while his memory of Norma's kiss slowly fading.

Where before they're arrival, Once-ler would look at the photograph each night, lately he'd let his eyes soften to the picture only once a week.

It seemed soon he would let his memories of Norma fade with the promise he made to The Lorax.

…

A month after the second tree fell; The Lorax was becoming lost on how to convince Once-ler to reconsider his promise. The animals had become worrisome at his growing greed, their tummies now empty of the marshmallows that Once-ler would once shower them with.

Once-ler having moved out of his cottage and into the first section of his factory to be built, the animals invaded the tent, searching high and low for marshmallows.

Pipsqueak being the smallest of the barbaloots opted for searching the floor around the bed. He ducked his furry little head under the bed and pawed for the fluffy morsels of white. His paw touched something flat and he clawed at it until it reached his eyes.

It was a photo, forgotten in Once-ler's rush to move into his bigger home. It showed the tall human in question and a short female, spectacles gracing her eyes.

Pipsqueak sniffed it, his eyes wide in wonder. Soon, many other animals crowded around Pipsqueak, their curiosity getting the better of them.

Finally, after ten minutes of their transfixed gazes, The Lorax found them. Having just entered, forlorn at another attempt to reconcile Once-ler's promise crushed, he almost failed to notice the huddled animals.

And then he tripped over one of the animals' legs, most likely Lou who sat, gobbling up what was left of the food in the fridge.

"Oi! What are you guys lookin' at?" he hollered. The crowd shifted to let him through as he walked up to Pipsqueak who still clutched at the glossy photograph between his paws.

Looking over Pipsqueak's shoulder, his eyes widened at the picture. "Seems beanpole had a lady friend…" he trailed off, the wheels turning in his head. He hummed in concentration, his furry fingers plucking the picture gently from the small barbaloot's paws.

"A lady friend… That's perfect!" he exclaimed, a plan clicking into place. In a hushed tone, he called for all the humming fish, swommee swans and barbaloots to huddle around him. He began whispering his plan to the animals who eagerly nodded to his words.

…

At dawn as the sun slowly rose from the sky, several swommee swans took to the sky, their wings beating with focus. It was as if they were migrating though it wasn't winter for several more months. A single bird in the flock held a photograph in its beak. They flew with purpose, the first stage of what The Lorax called 'Plan B' coming into fruition.

…

A very quiet day graced Norma's flower shop. A total of 3 customers came into the shop and only one actually bought something. Norma was starting to fear that maybe she'd have to sell the shop after only owning it a few months. What had it been now? Three months? Four? She couldn't quite recall.

Just as she was closing up the shop to head off to bed, something caught her eye just outside the store. A swarm of golden birds of great majesty flew overhead, the glowing sunset illuminating their already sun kissed feathers.

She admired them for a moment before turning once again to head upstairs. But just as she turned around, the flock spotted her and flew right at her, their eyes set on the target, her.

Hearing the flutter of wings, she turned once more to see them but a few feet away and before she knew it, she was being lifted into the air by several of them. They flew higher and higher into the pink painted sky. One swommee swan however picked up the keys Norma had dropped in surprise and actually locked up her shop for her and proceeded to fly after the others, key hanging from its mouth.

…

They flew for three days, making several stops for food and sleep. Norma was watched at all times and she felt very confused by being taken captive by birds. She tried to sneak off a few times but to her surprise, they always managed to find her. They flew over desserts and lakes and thick foliage until they reached their final destination: Truffula Valley.

Norma was thoroughly taken aback by the beauty of the valley. "Whoa…" she uttered, her eyes taking in the colors and the sky and finally, the trees. She however noticed that between several trees were tree stumps, obviously chopped by the evenness of the tops.

As she stood in awe, many creatures slowly made their way to her. Pipsqueak was the first to go directly up to her, his little tail wagging and his eyes bright and happy. Looking down at the adorable barbaloot, she swiftly brought him into her arms and hugged him gently, all the while cooing at him to which he happily responded.

"Aw! Aren't you just the most adorable thing? And this place… it's so beautiful. This is all so confusing though…" She trailed off, her confusion evident in the way she spoke. She knew not of how she would return home or whether she even wanted to after seeing this wondrous place. She gently set Pipsqueak down and he scampered off to play.

As she stood there gazing at the mesmerizing scenery, The Lorax took his chance and stepped out from behind a nearby tree. "Hello. I am The Lorax. I speak for the trees. And I believe if you please that there's a way that you might help me." Norma blinked, shock written across her face.

"Did you just… speak in rhyme?" She asked tentatively, somehow more surprised by the fact that he spoke in rhyme rather than that he spoke at all. He nodded.

"Now you know my name and I don't know yours. What is it, might I ask?" He was completely polite to her, something unheard of towards Once-ler who had annoyed him from the beginning. Looking at the short girl, he could already see her love of nature for it radiated off of her.

"I'm Norma. And you said I could somehow help you? What is it exactly you want my help with? Is that why I was kidnapped?" She rambled on and on, shooting off one question after the other.

The Lorax simply said to her, "I'll explain everything. Just thought you might like to know what your boyfriend's been up to here in the valley." With that, her cheeks burned ruby.

A/N: And here's chapter 3! Not so much Once-ler in this chapter since the big focus is on The Lorax and Norma. Hope you enjoyed it! And if you guys will leave 5 or more reviews, I'll have the next chapter up within 3 days of when the chapter receives that many reviews. In fact, I'll add a review chart to see how many reviews equals how many days wait.

5 Reviews- 2-3 days wait

7 reviews- 2 days wait

10 reviews- 1 day wait


	4. Chapter 4

Norma stared at the orange, furry creature, her eyes wide.

"You're saying Once-ler's been cutting down these trees? B-but they're so beautiful! Why would someone cut down such a beauty of nature?" She asked, her voice laced with utter disbelief.

The Lorax sighed while rubbing at his temples slightly. "He wants their tufts for that idiotic invention of his, if you could even call it that. It's more like a piece of garbage!"

Norma narrowed her eyes. "His ideas are _not _stupid and certainly not garbage!" The Lorax rolled his eyes and quirked his bushy eyebrow at her. She continued glaring, her hands at her hips and her mouth in an upturned pout.

"Whatever. Anyways, I need you to help me get him to stop. I've been trying for around a month to convince him to stop but he's as stubborn as that mule of his. I'm the guardian of the forest and it's my job to protect the trees and the animals but I can't do that on my own with Beanpole chopping down my poor truffulas." For a moment, The Lorax looked heartbroken.

Norma could see that he loved the animals and trees with everything in him. Slowly and hesitantly, she nodded, her eyes sympathetic. "But what exactly is it that you need me to do? Because you haven't exactly explained…" her voice trailed off as her eyes wandered to her right where several barbaloots played, basking in the sunset.

At this, The Lorax smiled. The barbaloots were still happy. For now, the trees provided shade and food, a luxury The Lorax feared might not be available in the near future should he be unable to accomplish his plan.

"We found a picture. It was of you and Beanpole. It was easy to tell you two had something going on. I realized that if there's one thing that idiot loves more than his thneeds, it's _you. _It's obvious from the picture. He's head over heels. And that's not something you get over so easily." He spoke with such confidence, a deep wisdom embedded in his being.

"Some days he'd get this far away look as if waiting for someone to show up. I think he was waiting for _you. _It's plenty easy to tell you both have feelings for each other, whether you were an item or not, I can tell. I just _know _that if you two reunited, he'd become distracted from his mediocre invention and just from the way you look at this valley I can tell, you love nature. He won't want to harm something you love. I'm sure he'd give it up for you. That's what I need _you _to do."

Norma absorbed this information silently, letting the things he said sink in. If the valley really were in trouble, Norma would fight for it. Nature was something she adored and she couldn't let anything or anyone destroy it. Not even Once-ler. She then thought of the consequences. If Once-ler found out about this plan of The Lorax's, he'd surely distrust her forever. She truly did have feelings or him, deep feelings that ran all the way to heart. She wouldn't be able to bear it if she lost him forever.

Making a silent choice, she took a deep breath, letting her doubt and fear leave her for a single moment. "I'll do it." With those three words she sealed the deal.

…

Sitting at his desk, hunched over several stacks of paper, Once-ler sighed. Building a business wasn't easy. He'd soon need to hire more people once the factory was fully built. I'd take about a year but there wasn't much else he could do to move progress along.

The stacks of paper in front of him were thousands of thneed orders, waiting to be filled. And Once-ler was responsible for checking every last one. Turning to face the window, he stared at the setting sun, gold and pink and ruby painting the sky, the colors of the truffula tufts. It looked almost as if the softer than silk covered trees blended with the sky.

He was tempted to go out there and talk with the animals, to go see The Lorax, his sort-of-friend. But no. He stayed put in his towering chair and turned back to the work, contemplating how long it would take to make all the thneeds by hand. He wished very hard that the factory could be already built.

'_Progress must grow' _he thought to himself. _'But progress can move very slowly at times.' _And then another thought came to his mind, one with the voice of his nearly forgotten love. _'I'm so proud of you for making your thneed a success, but why would you cut down trees to get it?' _He shook the voice from his head and rose from his seat and proceeded to his temporary bedroom.

It wasn't much bigger than that of the bedroom in his cottage but he needed to be near the factory to oversee its construction. It would do until the actual bedroom of his factory could be built. The first part be built was obviously his office and soon after, his mother's bedroom.

Flopping down upon his tuft filled bed, he closed his eyes ready for a good night's sleep to relieve some of the stress of maintaining the thneed business. He was asleep within minutes, his dreams carrying him across marshmallow clouds.

Everywhere he looked, thneeds hung off of people in several manners and marshmallows floated through the air. He wore his green suit complete with gloves and his coattails fluttered in the breeze. He felt a tug on his tie and looked down to find Norma staring up at him much in the same way as the day he last saw her. She tugged further and her lips met his in a passion filled kiss. Lost in his fantasy, he failed to notice the fading colors of the wonderland around him.

The faces of the people melted into gray and all around him the world dissolved except for him and Norma. He stood on endless black, his legs soon starting to sink with the colors. Upon separating, he realized the situation and started panicking. Norma sunk in the dark and he grasped for her hands but just as he touched them, she let go. And she was gone.

And then his eyes opened with a start, a loud knock coming from the glass door in his office. He messily got up from his bed and walked into his office, expecting to see The Lorax ready to bug him once again. His eyes practically shot out of his head when he saw who it really was. There in all her natural beauty was the girl of his dreams—literally.

She stood just outside the glass door on the balcony, the many stairs besides her leading down to the valley floor.

He rushed for the door, his hands grasping the way they did in his dream, except not for Norma's hands but for the doorknob that leads to the angel with curls.

The moment he opened the door, Norma flung her arms around Once-ler's neck, having to leap at him to be able to reach, and embraced him with all her might. His arms tightened around her slightly plump body as suddenly she pulled away from him just enough to place her lips upon his.

Breathless by her kiss, he almost lost his grip on her but managed to keep his hold. Her kiss was filled with so much passion and emotions. The most prominent, longing.

Nearly 4 months since the last time they saw each other only made their longing intensify. Though Once-ler had been losing the feel of her kiss upon his lips, under the surface he had been hoping, praying for the day he would see her again.

They both wanted this as much as the other, their feelings solidifying into something Once-ler hoped she'd call love.

When they broke away, Once-ler let Norma's feet touch the ground and kept his hands at her shoulders. Once-ler stuttered upon his words. "W-what are you doing here? And—w-wow, that k-kiss…"

Norma smiled as she leaned into Once-ler. "I came to find you. Being away from you was too much. I had to be with you." Her words were laced with truth, her words half honest. Once-ler didn't seem to notice how she didn't act like herself. His grin grew and all of his tiredness was washed away with the love that throbbed in his chest.

Norma looked over his suit, her surprise notable. She wasn't expecting such a transformation from the silly boy she'd fallen in love with. But she smiled nonetheless, thrilled to see him again. Once-ler suddenly wrapped his arms around her once again in an embrace and spun her around, him ending up facing his office while she faced the valley.

As Once-ler looked at the office before him with his head nuzzled with Norma's, he thought that nothing could be better. As Norma looked out at the wondrous valley filled with so much life and color with her check against Once-ler's shoulder, she thought about risks she was taking, and the rewards that came with it.

A/N: I hoped you guys enjoyed and please review! By the way, thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter but I think I didn't make myself clear. I saw a lot of anon. reviews and for me when I see that many anon. reviews one ofter the other, I feel as if someone might have just reviewed several times, using different names just to get me to update faster. It's not that I don't appreciate them, it's just that I'd like to see the majority of reviews come from actual people. So from now on, more than half the reviews have to come from people logged on for me to update using my system.

1 Review- 1-2 weeks wait

2 Reviews- 6 days-1 week wait

6 Reviews- 2-4 days wait

8 Reviews- 2 days wait

I didn't put a one day update because I'm currently working on chapter 5 and I might need a bit more time to get it as long as I'd like.


	5. Chapter 5

Norma took quickly to pointing out all the beauties of the valley to Once-ler. She'd point out a flower with colors fading in and out, blending together in colors that mimicked blue of the sky and the gold of the stars on a clear night.

Being around Norma made Once-ler's heart flutter, his cheeks still rosy when she'd kiss him. The kisses were filled with so much feeling he wondered if he might float away with the breeze. He tried to concentrate on work, on biggering, but every time he did, Norma seemed to have found something so amazing that they had to see it right then.

He was in wonder by the way she looked so lovingly at the valley and the animals. Pipsqueak had taken a fondness to her as she always remembered to sneak him a few marshmallows from Once-ler's secret stash. At least it was a secret until Norma found it.

Norma stayed in the little cottage that would have been taken down had she not arrived when she did. Once-ler offered for her to stay with him, albeit shyly but she declined. She believed fully in waiting until marriage before moving in with a significant other.

All in all, their life was filled with romance and adventure. In Once-ler's eyes, it was the perfect reality of what he wanted, Norma, the approval of his mother, and for his thneed to be a success.

But in Norma's eyes, life was far from perfect.

…

"I'm going out for a walk in the valley. I'll be back in an hour." Norma called as she stepped down the many steps to the valley floor. Once-ler said nothing, his head deeply buried under an enormous stack of papers. She looked back once before shutting the glass door behind her and hurrying down the steps.

Racing across the valley, she followed a path she'd been going for weeks, every Tuesday and Thursday. She stopped suddenly by the river and started running once again, up a hill and down again, the possible view of her now completely gone.

"Right on time as always." The Lorax stood leaning against a truffula, his eyes glued to the tree trunk right near him. The tree was gone, of course. The tuft had been taken along with its striped wood. Norma hesitantly walked to the stump, saddened by the loss of another tree. Just days ago, the tree had been untouched.

"Why are you staring at it?" Norma asked, curiously. She placed a stone around it as taught to do by The Lorax.

"It's 172 years old. I've counted the rings. It was one of the older ones. And now it's just… gone." The Lorax barely whispered the last word, almost in disbelief, almost in heartbreak. Norma placed a comforting hand on The Lorax's shoulder, all the while frowning in discontent.

Norma kneeled to the ground by the stump and whispered quietly, "From death should bring new life. Let what's to come flourish, blooming like a flower in May, let it radiate life, what's gone to this fallen tree." She rose from her position and added a few more stones to its burial.

"How has the plan been going? Has Beanpole slowed production?" The Lorax asked her, his eyes flittering in the direction of the factory.

Norma's breath hitched a second before answering with one word. "Somewhat." She turned to face The Lorax. "I've been dragging him around the valley to keep him from getting paperwork done. He has an enormous stack of papers on his desk. I've been doing my very best." The Lorax nodded approvingly pulled a bag of marshmallows from behind him.

"Good. Good. By the way, thanks for the marshmallows. With him chopping my trees, the animals haven't had as much to eat. The marshmallows have sufficed for now. Now you best be gettin' back to him before he suspects anything. And I'm sure you're missing him too." Norma leaned down and engulfed The Lorax in a hug before standing once again and trotting off in the direction of the factory.

…

Once-ler looked at the papers before him. They were filled with orders and things to sign. He currently looked at a paper having to do with the completion of his factory. He'd need to approve the workers to break ground and officially start working on the machinery. He raised his hand to sign but was stopped at the sudden opening of the door.

"I'm back!" Her voice called out as she stepped inside. She made her way to Once-ler and reached for his hand. She hoisted him out of his seat and planted her lips right on his, knowingly distracting him from something important.

When they pulled away, Once-ler's face was seized by a goofy, lovesick expression. The pen in his hand forgotten and dropped, he spoke. "Those surprise kisses are really something else…" Norma giggled at his blushing expression and purposely sat in his large chair. Looking at her, Once-ler couldn't help but think how absolutely tiny she looked compared to it. And then he smiled. "What are you doing in my chair? Come to take over my business have you?"

"Nope!" Norma giggled, popping the 'p'. "Spin me! We used to do this all the time when we were kids! Remember?"

…

"_Spin me! I wanna go real fast! Like the rides at the carnival!" Norma exclaimed at Once-ler as she sat in her father's office chair, practically bouncing in the seat. Once-ler laughed and complied, spinning the chair as fast as his thin arms would allow him._

_A series of "Whee!" came from the spinning chair, blurs of brown, pink, and green seen as the chair spun round and round. The chair slowly halted to a stop and Norma giggled, her brown curls bouncing as she did so. "Ok! Your turn! Do you want me to spin you fast? Or SUPER fast?" Once-ler placed his finger to his chin in thought._

"_Hm… fast." He finally answered. Norma grinned as he took his seat in the chair. She grabbed hold of the edge and readied the chair for a speedy spin. With all her strength, she spun the chair as fast as she could. The colors Once-ler wore blurred together as he spun. "This is super-fast!" he cried out, his voice quivering from the speed._

_Norma giggled but grabbed hold of the chair and slowed it to a medium speed. "You're such a wuss, Once-ler! But I like you anyways." With that, the two children continued spinning, their laughter filling the room with brightness comparable to the sun._

…

Once-ler seemed caught in the memory, almost forgetting where he was until he looked at Norma to see her eagerly awaiting a good spin. He grinned cheekily and spun the chair round and round, laughing freely, without a care in the world. Norma laughed with him, tears streaming down her face as the force whipped at her eyes.

When the chair slowed to a stop, Norma stood blinking her eyes and smiling once before looking up at Once-ler, towering over her. "Don't you just miss these things? Carefree fun without having to come back down to earth where there's stress of work? I know I do."

Once-ler paused and readied his answer just when the door to his office was thrown open.

"Oncie dear, the orders are piling up and we really need you to—Oh! Why hello Normie. So glad to see you again. Oncie, why didn't you tell me your little girlfriend was here? I could have taken her to get her hair done with me so you could concentrate on your work!" Once-ler's mother had come storming in and upon seeing Norma had glued a very fake smile to her face.

Norma pouted for a second before speaking directly to Once-ler's mother. "It's Norma. And it's fine, really. Once-ler doesn't mind me being around." Norma stood her ground, wearily eyeing her boyfriend's mother. She'd never gotten along with the woman, her always putting Once-ler down and treating him like a failure.

The southern drawl in her voice came out sharp, like a knife. "Well, we'll just have to get our hair done some other time, then, hm?" She turned her back and walked out the door, practically sneering. Norma could feel a snicker rising in her throat and fought it down but still wore a smug little grin upon her face.

Once-ler stood there awkwardly, scratching at the back of his neck. "So Norma… you were saying?"

Norma turned back to him. Momentarily forgetting what she was saying. "Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just a musing I've been thinking on lately. You know we should really go and see the animals soon. It's been a while since we've performed for Pipsqueak. We always did sing the best duets together."

Once-ler nodded sheepishly and sat down at his desk. "Yeah. Maybe tomorrow we could. I'd be nice to see Pipsqueak again. I just gotta get this paperwork done." Norma puckered her lips in a pout but remained quiet. She placed a hand on his shoulder and briefly kissed his cheek before walking out the office doors.

Just outside the doors were Once-ler's brothers, dim as ever but overall harmless. "Hi Norma!" They greeted brightly. Norma smiled slightly at them, waving her small hand in their direction.

She made her way past the kitchen, left of the knitting room and proceeded towards the bathroom. Once inside, she turned on the sink and splashed some water in her face. "What am I doing? How do I even go about this? I can't just go up to him and say, 'You should stop cutting down trees'. That wouldn't do anything." Norma muttered to herself in despair, her frown echoing her thoughts.

She looked out the window of the bathroom to the truffula trees. The sun was just setting, the same way it had upon her arrival. She turned away from the window and shut her eyes tightly. _'Who would have ever thought I'd be up to me to convince Once-ler to give up his dream?'_

She sighed and left, through the halls once again and out the front door, on her way home to the little cottage in the distance, her thoughts torn between saving the place she'd grown to love and the man that had stolen her heart.

A/N: Sorry the chapter's a little late. Been a bit stacked with homework lately. The teachers at my school really don't relent even when it's only a month away from summer vacation. I hope you enjoyed! And more of Once-ler's family will be making an appearance very soon. Oh! And for the person who reviewed with 'hurry up' I've been a bit busy lately so I haven't exactly been able to fill that request. I'm glad you like the story though and I am thankful for that and the review.

3 Reviews- 1-2 weeks wait

5 Reviews- 6 days-1 week wait

7 Reviews- 2-4 days wait

9 Reviews- 2 days wait


	6. Chapter 6

Once-ler's mother, Susannah, could see something was fishy about that Norma girl. She could see the way Norma would try and distract Once-ler from his work. She said nothing of it to him though in fear that he'd take Norma's side. She wasn't so heartless to not see that the two were head over heels for each other but she didn't have to like it.

For the next few months, as Norma continually tried to drag Once-ler somewhere, she'd find ways to make sure he stayed put. She brought Norma to get manicures and pedicures, go clothing shopping and other things such as that. On that particular day, she'd insisted on Norma coming with her to the hair salon.

"Well hun, I'd say you are in dire need of a makeover. Those curls of yours are alright but I feel like you could look so much _better _if you actually put some effort into it." She laced her words with sugar, the insults trying so hard to sound like suggestions.

Norma was about to protest Susannah's words but before she could get a word in edgewise, she was dragged out the factory door and into a limo. The limo took them to a fancy salon just at the edge of Greenville. As they pulled up, the eyes of many civilians followed their every move, wondering just who they must be to own such a limo.

Once seated in the salon chairs, Susannah immediately got to telling the hair stylist what to do. "Just a little off the top for me. For her though, straighten it as well you can and put it into a poof, something like mine. More poof, less frizz." Norma looked stricken at the thought of her hair being straightened.

"Just wait a minute! I don't think changing my hair style is necessary. I could just get a little trim. I like the way I look!" Norma was rising from her seat ready to leave right then when the stylist brought her back down by her shoulders.

Susannah patted her hand gently, "Trust me doll, you are in dire need of a makeover. And who better to give you one than your future mother in law?" At the words, 'mother in law' Norma looked sick to her stomach.

"Mother in law? Once-ler and I haven't even been together that long! Barely 4 months!" Susannah rolled her eyes.

She laughed, her chuckle light and airy but incredibly fake. "I know that, hun! But you grew up together. It's plain to see that he wants to ask you. Probably won't ask for a while but I know he will. Call it mother's intuition."

Norma pouted in her seat, crossing her arms in annoyance. For the next 2 hours, she wasn't allowed to see her own reflection. Her hair was pulled between straighteners, scrubbed with funny smelling shampoo, and tugged at by combs and brushes. At one point she thought they might have put foil in her hair but her glasses had been taken off so she couldn't tell for sure. It took all of her patience not to leap from the chair and place her glasses back on her face.

By the time it was over, Norma was sure she had bruises on her scalp and possibly a few burns. She had a headache that made her head throb in pain. She desperately wanted out of the salon and away from Susannah. If she didn't realize just how Susannah had Once-ler on puppet strings, she'd surely say a few choice words she was taught never to say.

Finally she was given her glasses and as she placed them on, she saw the dramatic change her hair had overtaken. It was still very large in height but hardly curly at all. The front of her hair lay in waves travelling downward. Her hair looked much longer due the straightening. It was lighter too. Her normally chocolate locks were now a light brown. And on top of her head was a large bow resting to her right side. She hardly recognized herself.

"Oh, darling! You look as pretty as a peach! I'd say thought that you'd be even prettier without those horrid glasses! Maybe something like mine… or maybe no glasses at all!" Norma's mouth hung open in shock and her eyes twitched.

"I kind of need my glasses to see." She said it plainly, her nerves being danced upon with every second.

"Oh honey bunches; I didn't mean leaving you blind! I meant contacts! They're all the rage. Been thinking of getting some myself but you don't mess with a good look like mine. You however could use them. Those glasses make you look like some sort of school girl. Any girl that's gonna be with my Oncie better look sophisticated. Can't have his image being ruined because he looks like he's with a much younger girl. You looked 15 before!"

Norma could barely contain a growl that rose from her throat. At that moment she wasn't sure what was worse, the trees being cut down or having to listen to Susannah talk. She pinched the bridge of her nose and was all but dragged out the door and towards the eye doctor.

Along the way, Susannah had them stop at several high end clothing stores where Norma would be piled with clothes to try on. She was forced to come out at every outfit for Susannah's approval. She looked at Norma with a judging gaze, giving every outfit a decisive expression.

She ended up leaving the store with several new outfits that made her cringe at their over the top ways.

Getting Norma contacts was not an easy feat for Susannah. Norma very often would say she couldn't see her own hand when wearing them though Sue could tell she was just trying to get out of it. She eventually told Norma that they weren't leaving without a pair of contacts for her which finally made Norma take it seriously. They found a pair that worked though they itched Norma's eyes something fierce.

…

As the day came to a close, Once-ler finally finished some of the papers that lined his desk. He'd have to continue on the pile for the next day but at least he completed a significant amount, actually making a dent.

From outside he heard a car pull up. He assumed it must be Norma and his mother returning from their day out. He stood from his seat and left to greet them at the door.

When he got to the limo, his mother was just getting out, her hair primped and rock solid with hairspray. She immediately pulled him into a hug. "Oh Oncie! Today has been so much fun! Did you get plenty of work done today? I sure hope so. Never mind that though. I got a surprise for you!" Her southern drawl was overly obvious as she spoke.

She turned to the limo, the black windows hiding the insides. Susannah whistled loudly, a loud screeching sound that echoed through the surrounding area, prompting several creatures to peek through the trees, barbaloots, humming fish and swami swans.

A sigh came from the limo and the door opened revealing a short leg. Norma scooted further out until Once-ler could see her clearly. She shut the door behind her and stared right at Once-ler, looking miserable. She wore a smile but it was very fake and forced.

Once-ler's eyes bugged out of his head at her. He noted her hair, now much less curly and with a large bow on the right side of her head. Rather than wear a sun dress, she wore a mid-sleeve shirt with a skirt that started just below her bust line. It hugged her curves, making her look older than she was by about 5 years. The skirt's only redeeming factor was that it had dots scattered through it giving it some sort of visual interest.

He hardly recognized her the way she looked. Her hair was lighter, dyed or highlighted. Her glasses were gone. She looked pretty but she didn't look like herself. He subtly cringed at her fake smile. He could feel her annoyance radiating from her.

As she stood, there was a collective gasp coming from the valley behind her. The animals seemed to have seen the dramatic change that overtook her. Susannah stood next to Once-ler smiling in satisfaction. "Ain't she a beauty? Her hair's much nicer lighter. And don't she look much more her age like this? She actually looks like an adult!"

He stood there gaping before his eyes flickered down at his mother. He quickly pasted a large smile to his face, trying to hide his dissatisfaction. "She looks…" He searched for the right word to define her change without making it sounds bad. "breathtaking." He settled on.

Susannah smiled wider and waved goodbye to the two who had still not uttered a word directly to each other. He hesitantly stepped toward her, reaching out to rest his hand on her shoulder.

She was looking at the ground when he placed his hand on her shoulder. Her head snapped up and he could see the anguish in her eyes. He didn't quite understand how she could be anguished over the way she looked though he didn't question it. She'd always been a girl of her values and choices and from what he saw, this look was not of her own choice.

"I'm going for a walk." Her words were quiet, sadness the only emotion in her hollow voice. Once-ler thought to reach out but it was too late. She had already run off into the valley, the trees disguising her and keeping her hidden from his view.

He sighed and walked back inside, his head hung low even with his towering figure.

…

Norma swiped at her eyes, tears blazing down her cheeks. Once-ler wouldn't understand her sadness but it was a lot of things. Getting the makeover from Once-ler's mother had just made her realize how little she was able to do. She wouldn't give up on Once-ler but she felt as if this were the breaking point. There was no turning back now and she knew it.

She ran to the clearing, still ever as beautiful even with several less trees. She sat upon the grassy ground and finally let loose the tears she tried to hold back. Her sobs were the only sound heard by the valley animals and it broke their hearts.

It was when a furry palm rested upon her shoulder that she looked up from her hands.

"What happened to ya? You look like that mother of Beanpole's with that stupid bow in your hair." Norma glared up at the sky, aiming for her hair and plucked it from her head.

"She made me get a makeover. And Once-ler said nothing. I'm losing hope. If I can't keep his mother from attacking me with beauty products, how am I supposed to stop her from controlling Once-ler's life?" her hair was now messy from running and her skirt had grass stains on it but she found it better that way.

The Lorax looked deeply troubled at her words before regaining his composure. "We'll have to try harder. _You'll _have to try harder. And I'm sorry to say but you have to keep looking the way you are. You need to gain that Sue lady's trust to keep her from getting suspicious. We need to go to more extreme measures to get Beanpole to stop. You're the only one he'll even think of listening to. And he still can't know that we even know each other. If he's not willing to stick up for you, you need to make him. Right now I'm relying on _you." _He took a gulp of air and looked at her, waiting for her response.

"If I'm going to make sure it happens, I'll have to do it soon." With that, Norma wiped her eyes and stood, her messy hair blowing in the breeze. The animals came from around the trees and crept towards her.

Pipsqueak pawed at her legs and she picked him up, hugging him to her, a sad frown etched upon her face.

The clouds in the sky grew grayer and grayer and suddenly it was raining, water trickling down her back and into her hair. Her hair frizzed and poofed everywhere and the makeup on her face ran. Her clothes stuck to her curves like glue and her footsteps were like lead weights. She placed Pipsqueak down before starting her trek back to the cottage, only to find it gone.

Before her eyes, the cottage was gone as if it had vanished from thin air. There was no trace it had ever been there, not even a hole in the ground where the posts had been.

A/N: Hi! It took a while to write this one mostly because I needed to work out the events in my head first. I don't think the review chart thing is really working so I'm just gonna start updating whenever I feel like it. But really, that could mean from when I first finish a chapter all the way up to a certain amount of reviews so don't think that I won't notice if a chapter happens to get _only _2 reviews. Hope you guys enjoyed!


	7. Chapter 7

Norma gaped at the spot the cottage should have been. She went on her knees and touched the dirt that should have been the canvas floor.

She could picture it so clearly, waking up in the bed this morning to find Pipsqueak cuddled in her arms and other animals playing about the floor.

From her throat came an incomprehensible sound of anger and sadness. She took a fist of dirt in her palm and stood, letting the dirt fall through her fingers.

She turned away from the sight, tears threatening to spill once more. She raised her head and marched, her back stiff and her eyes aflame.

…

Once-ler gave up on looking for Norma after 10 minutes, knowing she'd come back at some point. He retired to his bedroom, his eyes carrying dark shadows beneath them. He hadn't seen Norma so upset since the time he forgot her birthday when they were 16.

He hoped that she'd grow into her new look, simply because he was absolutely terrified of disappointing his mother. If his mother liked Norma's new look, who was he to insist Norma changed back. She was still Norma after all. And he was still the same Once-ler that had fallen for Norma. Nothing had changed, he told himself. Nothing at all.

As his eyes just shut closed, he heard a door open and slam closed with a loud bang. He sat up with a start and quickly left the comfort of his bed.

In front of the door was Norma, mud splattered and hair frizzed. Her polka dotted skirt was riding up at one side and her shirt had a few tears in it. Makeup ran down her face, mascara stains painting her cheeks inky black.

He reeled at her appearance for a moment before stepping toward her, afraid of what's to come. "Norma? Are you alright…?" he was quiet, his words stuck in his throat.

"No. I am most definitely _not _alright." She seethed with held in frustration, her words sharp and cutting. She swatted at the mud on her skirt and marched into Once-ler's room and into the newly added bathroom.

Once-ler tried to follow her to ask her what was wrong but the door was slammed in his face as he came up to the bathroom.

From inside the bathroom, Norma flipped the light switch and turned on the shower. She took a short shower, letting the hot steaming water melt away her tenseness for a few moments before she hopped out and her anger resurfaced.

Her hair laid limp against her back as the water weighed down the curls. The water also gave the allusion that her hair was darker, very close to her natural color. She faintly smiled, looking at her hair but frowned not 5 seconds after.

She wrapped herself in a deep green robe and tied the belt tight as she finally opened the bathroom door. She was met with Once-ler standing in her way. When he saw she was wearing a robe, he blushed deep crimson. With a huff, she pushed past him and out the bedroom towards a guest room, newly built.

She should have realized. The guest room was neatly stocked with her new clothes and makeup, complimentary of Susannah. All this time, Sue had been planning to tear down her new home. In the very unfamiliar room, Norma felt like a prisoner, trapped to be observed.

In the room just across the hall, Once-ler stood in place, a gnawing at the back of his mind.

…

He started pacing the room, trying his very best to figure out what was wrong. Norma had come back covered in mud and her hair frizzy. It somehow reminded of their childhood, when they'd play in the mud not after it rained but during the downpour. As much as he wanted to calm her down, he found himself blushing thinking of her appearance with her hair a mess. To him, she'd looked gorgeous.

There was a knock at his door and without waiting for an answer, his mother strolled in. "Oncie! How's that work coming?" She glanced around the room, looking for any signs that he had taken his work into the bedroom.

"Oh… um… I got worried about Norma when she ran off and I wasn't able to concentrate. And now… she's pretty angry. I don't know why though and it's just… I don't know what to do." Sue gave him an emotionless look.

"Well hun, it appears to me that if she's angry, it'd be best to leave her be. Focus on your work while she stews a while. I'm sure that by tomorrow, things will be fine and dandy! Now why don't you just get on back to work! Don't wanna fall behind. We need those orders done ASAP." She threw her fox scarf over shoulder and strutted out the door, a small sinister smile gracing her lips.

Her footsteps clicked against the floor as she made her way over to Norma's room. "Knock knock!" she chirped as she threw open the door. Norma was staring out the window, her hair still damp and her mouth in a grim line. She didn't react to Sue coming in, she merely stood completely still.

"Oh, Hun. Frowning like that'll give you wrinkles. Wouldn't you rather smile and be a good little girl? For Oncie's sake? I know that he'd be devastated if he came in here and found you all upset over nothing." Her tone was sickly sweet, laced with a bite.

Norma frowned harder but turned to face her. "I'll be fine. I… I just need time." Her words sounded sincere but all the while, Norma was lying through her teeth.

Sue shrugged and tossed a suspicious look at Norma. "If you say so! But hun, I think it best if you don't leave the factory grounds for a while. The valley is no place for a little lady."

Norma's breath hitched in her throat and she glared at the back of Sue's head. Susannah walked back out the door without as much as a backward glance, frustrating Norma all the more.

As the door clicked closed, Norma crumpled to the floor, her sobs echoing across the walls.

A/N: Semi-short chapter! The next chapter will take place about a year after this one, just a warning. I hope you guys enjoy and if you really like this story, you should check out my ask blog on tumblr! The ask blog is of my version of Norma and is called, not-so-normal-norma. I'll be posting one chapter a week on there, starting from the beginning and in between chapters; you'll get to see snippets of her life and what happens that you don't see in the chapters. Plus I'll be posting drawings of my design for Norma so you can see how I imagine her to look! Ask questions and I'll answer them in character! And if anybody would like to make a Once-ler blog specifically to accompany my Norma, I'd love to talk with you about it! I'm open to RPs! Thanks if you actually read through my long spiel.


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